Collapsible tube or container for pastes and the like



L. RADO Nov. 10, 1931.

COLLARSIBLE TUBE OR CONTAINER FOR BASTES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. .28; 1928 I Patented a... 10, 1931 'i UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE I moron) no, or lam-nnansna, ennmr. oonmrsrnna me on con'ram'aa non ras'ras m ma 1.11m.

Application filed Iovember 28, 1988, Serial in. 822,463, and in Germany lay 28, 1928.

I This invention relates to a collapsible tube or container for pastes and the like and consists substantially in the tube sleeve being constituted by metal foil, more particularly I aluminium foil, covered-on the inside of the sleeve or on both-sides with cellulose foil, one

end of the tube sleeve being provided witha head carryin the screw closing device, and

the other end with a closing device. 10 Upto now, there have been used for the manufacture of such tubes, exclusively metals such as tin, zinc, aluminium and the like.

In choosing the material, a manufacturer was always tied to ve narrow limitsby conl5 sideration of thee emical properties of the articles to be packed (foodstufis, cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations, paints and g the like). The material used was mostly tin as it is least affected by chemical action. Ow M ing however to the high price of these materials, the cost of the tube, and therefore of the articles is greatly increased. A further disadvanta eof known tubes is that the thickness of we s of the tube sleeves has to 85 be made very small in view ofthe flexibility and. pliabihty of the walls, required for squeezing out the paste, so that with the material hithertoused, the tube does not offer suflicient' resistances to the mechanical stresses occurring, more particularly to tensional and bending stresses.

If however metal foil, more particularly aluminium foil, coated on the inside'of the sleeve or on both sides with cellulose foil, is used for the manufacture ofthe sleeve shaped parts of the tube, tubes will be obtained in which all the above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated.

By cellulose foils are meant here'the known cellulose hydrate foils, called also cellulose glass skin, cellulose skin or simply cellulose, which are extensively used for the packi'n of articles of all kinds, for the coatin 0% surfaces, etc., as well as any similar pro ucts which are preparedfrom cellulose derivatives, cellulose ester solutions, cellulose acetate or the like, in the form of foils, skins, films or the like. These cellulose foils are free of fibres and may be used for the purposes thin metal foils, more particularly with alu-. mmium foil, that is to say the said cellulose foils are secured to the metal foils by means For the manufacture of-the hollow bodies are used foils of exceedingly small thicknesscellulose foils of a thickness of, about 0.01 mm. and metal foils, more particularly aluminium foil, of a thickness of about In order-to render the cellulose foils in as far as required non-sensitive to the action of moisture,fthey are coated, before or after their working, in a manner known in itself, with water-repelling substances, such as for instance, cellulose nitrate solution, or celluloid solution which, afterthey have solidified, leave behind acohesive layer non-sensitive to water.

mshes (for instance colophony varnish).

The manufacture of the sleeve-shaped part and there is always the risk that the tube y will burst at the seam. These disadvantages are however completelyeliminated b makin' the tube sleeve in such a manner t at the folls are wound in several layers on a suitable I former, and the single la ers joined to ther by means of suitable a hesives. Owing to the small-thickness of the foils used, the intersection of the single lagers, after the winding, will be scarcely visi 1e, and in that way a tube sleeve is obtained which has altogether the appearance .of a body made of a single piece, and has an exceedingly high resistance to, any mechanical stresses.

The manufacture of a wound o'r rolled up -tube is carried out, for instance, by winding the combined metal-cellulose foils on a cylinofthe present invention in combination with drical former of any desired length, with the a plication of an exceedingly thin layer of adhesive. In order to ensure as uniform application of the glue as possible, it is advisable to apply the adhesive to the foils during the process of winding, by means of a sprayer nozzle. In that way, tubes of any length can be wound, which afterwards are cut to sleeves of the desired length.

A particular advantage of the tubes according to the invention consists in that they are suitable to be provided in a very simple and effective manner with the make-up required for the sale of goods. Thus, for instance, either cellulose foil, or the metal foil, or even the foils already combined may be coloured, printed, embossed or the like in any desired manner. The sleeve of the finished tube may be of course subsequently provided with patterns by embossing it by means of suitable devices. Between the cellulose and the metal foil may also be mounted labels or the like, so that the finished tube will show the label in question at the desired place. Of course, pattern and other effects of various kinds may also be produced in other ways. v

If for the manufacture of the tube are used cellulose-metal foils in which the metal foil is provided at previously determined points with recesses, a tube will be obtained with a window constituted by transparent cellulose foils, which shows the contents of the tube. For the purpose of more fully explain ng the invention, the accompanying drawing shows by way of example, a construction of the tube in which the sleeve is constituted by a hollow body wound from a combined cellulose-aluminium foil.

When metal foils are used which are covered with cellulose foils only on one side, the-winding or rolling up, is preferably effected so that the cellulose foil is positioned on the inside. As the cellulose foil, more particularly the cellulose foil provided with a coating of water-repelling substances, is

not afiected by chemical action, there is no restriction as regards the choice of the metal. Metals may therefore be used which are in thgmselves corroded by the contents of the tu e. a

Owing to the cellulose covering, the metal foil is given an exceedingly great strength, more particularly great resistance to the great tensional stresses which chiefly occur when the tube is used.

By usin metal foils covered with cellulose .on both si es, not only the tensile strength of.

the metal foil is increased by the tensile strength of the second cellulose foil, but in addition any possibility of destruction of the metal foil by crushing or mechanical injury is eliminated. In such a case, the metal foil may be made as thin as-desired. Al-

though in this way a thickness of the tube wall is obtained, which is substantially less stituted by metal foil, for instance aluminium foil 12, and two'cellulose foils c and d.

The layer d which is in contact with the tube contents, and if necessary also the outer layer a, is provided with a coating, not shown in the drawing, of cellulose nitrate solution, celluloid solution or the like, for the purpose of eliminating its hygroscopic properties. The tube sleeve is compressed at the bottom end and closed by a metal clip e. The head It carrying the screw closing device f, g, is connected to the sleeve-shaped part in such a manner that the upper edge of the latter is folded and flanged over inwardly and clamped to the head h by means of a clamping plate 2'. For the purpose of preventing the sleeve edge from slipping out, the head It may be provided with a circular groove, and the clamping plate 2' with a corresponding head or projection. The securing of the head It to the sleeve a may also be effected in some other manner, for instance by flanging over the edges of the sleeve and of the head. The outermost transparent layer 0 may be coloured on the inner face, or the metal foil 6 on the outer face, and provided with inscriptions or labels, so that the latter are protected from any damage.

The tube described in the foregoing is more particularly suitable on account of its great tensile strength, for such fillings in which there is a strong mechanical stress on the tube during use.

The tube according to the invention is distinguished by its great durability and strength and may be provided in a simple and very effective manner; with any desired make- .up required for the sale of goods. 

